Becoming Numerate in the Early Years (EDUC91052)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
Overview
| Availability | Semester 2 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
This subject supports early childhood preservice teachers to understand and use the early mathematical ideas and skills that are the foundation for becoming numerate. It focuses on early mathematical explorations and the ways in which, as educators, we can design and create learning ecologies to support young children to become numerate. Teacher Candidates will consider both the mathematics and the pedagogical content knowledge relevant to early childhood education (Birth to 8 years of age). This will assist them to develop a pedagogical repertoire that enables them to design learning ecologies that also reflect play-based approaches using the range of teaching practices encouraged in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF), and Australian/ Victorian Curricula. These teaching practices include; using an holistic approach that involves being responsive to young children’s mathematical knowledge, skills and understandings, learning early mathematical concepts through play in engaging learning ecologies, intentional teaching of mathematical concepts, continuity of mathematics and numeracy learning that is respectful of cultural diversity, and making mathematics and numeracy learning visible with formative and summative assessment implementation that is co-constructed with the young child, their families and the community.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, Teacher Candidates should be able to:
- Critically reflect on research into how young children learn and understand the concepts, substance, structure and implications for effective numeracy teaching practice, including the creation of exemplary learning environments.
- Articulate how to set learning goals for becoming numerate that provide achievable challenges for young children of varying abilities and characteristics.
- Investigate and critically reflect on mathematics pedagogical content knowledge, seeking out additional information to supplement their own knowledge.
- Implement a broad knowledge of teaching strategies, including the implementation of ICT that can be used to engage young children in mathematical learning and improve numeracy learning outcomes.
Generic skills
This subject will develop the following set of key transferable skills:
- Clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice.
- Critical and creative thinking.
- Creativity and innovation.
- Teamwork and professional collaboration.
- Learning to learn and metacognition.
- Responsiveness to a changing knowledge base.
- Reflection for continuous improvement.
- Linking theory and practice.
- Inquiry and research.
- Active and participatory citizenship.
- Ethical and intercultural understanding.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
EDUC90899 Numeracy in Early Childhood
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Digital Product: Create a podcast that discusses 'becoming numerate' in early childhood education (Birth to 8 years of age) (1000 words equivalent)
| Early semester | 20% |
Reflective Essay: This critical and reflective task draws on understandings of numeracy as situated in the cultural contexts of children's common worlds, and links quality of practice with the processes of being numerate.
| Mid semester | 40% |
Planning Document: A planning cycle reflective of becoming numerate.
| During the examination period | 40% |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Coordinator Jayson Cooper Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 24 hours comprising one 2-hour on-campus workshop and one asynchronous hour in each of 8 weeks Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 28 July 2025 to 26 October 2025 Last self-enrol date 8 August 2025 Census date 1 September 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 26 September 2025 Assessment period ends 21 November 2025 Semester 2 contact information
Dr Jayson Cooper: jayson.cooper@unimelb.edu.au
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
- Links to additional information
Faculty of Education: https://education.unimelb.edu.au/
Last updated: 4 March 2025